Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Summary: Last spring, Nikki
Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath,
where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's
returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being
banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six
months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find
redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend,
Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a
problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the
Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever
it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping
from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life:
find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return
to the Everneath and become Cole's... -Goodreads

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice—until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone. That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey. From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver comes a luminous and magnificent novel that glows with rare magic, ghostly wonders, and a true friendship that lights even the darkest of places. -Goodreads

Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver is a wonderfully written middle grade novel. I'm always looking for books to add to my school library and this is definitely one that makes the list. With intriguing characters, adventure, and a wonderful storyline, Liesl and Po is definitely a book my students will love (and adults too!).

When we meet Liesl, she is locked in an attic by her stepmother and mourning the death of her father who died the day before. When Po shows up, a ghost from the otherworld, Liesl welcomes the company - even if it is a ghost - and they become friends. Through a series of crazy events, Liesl and Po escape the attic and head towards her old house in the country to spread her father's ashes. Along the way they meet Will, a orphan who worked for an evil alchemist and is trying to escape his wrath, and who also would watch Liesl from the street through her attic window.

The plot in this book is so twisty and complicated that it will leave a younger reader guessing to the very end about what is going to happen. I figured out most of the mysteries before they were resolved but for a middle grade reader it will definitely keep them entertained and guessing. I really enjoyed how Oliver had all the paths cross in one way or another. The links between the characters were interesting and fun to watch play out. I also enjoyed how the box of magic kept switching hands and kept you guessing how it was going to make its way back to the rightful place.

As for the main characters, the reader will fall in love with all of them. I just wanted to scoop Liesl and Will up and take them home with me. They are two children that just needs someone to love and care for them. To have such rough lives, they are not bitter or hard. Liesl is so caring and compassionate in this book. I just really loved her character. And Will was just as well written. Ah! I just really loved them.

I try to read as much middle grade as I can so I can decide what is good and what is not for my library. This is definitely a book that I would buy for my students and push for them to read. I am even considering making it a book club book. This is a middle grade book at it's best.

Avery knew she had a knack for attracting trouble, but even she is shocked when a six-foot-something harpie shows up on her doorstep. Coping with the existence of a mythological race? Okay. Unwittingly finding herself in the middle of a vicious harpie conflict? A little less okay. Having to rely on an arrogant harpie boy who gets under her skin? Now that is something Avery isn't sure she can handle.-Goodreads

When I first read the summary of Airborne, I wasn't sure what it was going to be about. Harpies? Okay.. Let's try this. I was pleasantly surprised with this book and the world that Sharper creates. The Harpies are nothing like the Greek mythology versions - which is good since I don't think that would make a very fun read. The book starts with our lead character, Avery, coming back to her boarding school in Alaska from summer break in California. While on vacation, she picks up a seashell (or so she thinks) and it cuts her. After a few months the cut is still there - and not any better. When Mason shows up - saying there is magic stuck inside her and that he's a Harpie - things start to get even more interesting for Avery.

Airborne is a completely new twist on paranormal creatures - one that is fun and refreshing. The story is well written and the pacing is believable. No instalove here - which is very nice! I also liked the main characters - Avery is a very strong lead female which I like to see. Mason, the Harpie, is short tempered and comes across as scary - I would've ran from him at first too! But as the story progresses, you get to know more about him and there is a lot to like.

There is so much action and adventure in Airborne, it will definitely leave you wanting to know more about the world Shaper has created. Grounded comes out in September so you don't have too long to wait!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

I'm excited to welcome Constance Sharper, author of Airborne, to the blog today as part of Teen Book Scene blog tour!

Check out her answers to these This or That questions.

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Unicorns or Zombies
I know I should go with the sweet option but I have to pick zombies. Why? I’ve always figured I’d do well during a zombie apocalypse. Not just because I watch too many movies or live in one of the most well armed states in America, but because surviving zombies takes some skill. And outrunning the person next to you. Like I said, skill. J
iPhone or Blackberry
Okay, I’ll just admit it now. Technology and me are a dangerous mix. Never have me within a mile of a computer or you can watch it go up in flames. Because of this, I’ll have to pick IPhone because I’ve had a decent amount of luck with the IPods and I’d hope that luck would hold out.

Dog or Cat
Cats hate me and I have a dog. Enough said.

TV or Movies
Maybe it’s ironic for an author but I have the attention span of a rodent. Probably why there is so much action in my books. But this is also why I have to go with TV. I can survive a TV show but a movie will have to blow my mind to keep my interest.

Truth or Dare
Now dare is just more fun. Period.

Dinner or Dessert
The only reason I eat dinner is so that I can get to dessert. And admit it, you agree.

Mac or PC
I’ve mentioned before that I’m bad at technology. I’ll have to go with what I know, this being the PC. It’ll lessen those blog postings you’ll get from me that look like th#2isS

Beach or Mountains
You’d think I’d like the beach after living in Florida but that’s just the reason I don’t like the beach. Too hot and too many sweaty tourist. Time for some change and in my mind that means it’s time for mountains!

Night Owl or Early Bird
Night Owl has to be the way to go. Something about staying awake is easier than waking up. You know what I mean.

Rock or Country
I love rock and I usually play rock on my bass guitar.

Too Hot or Too Cold
I’m not a cold person. And I live in Florida. I can survive those horrible humid summers but I’ve never seen snow nor driven on ice. I imagine if I tried, it’d just be embarrassing.

Text or Talk
Texting is a great way to avoid those awkward long conversations. It’s also a great way to talk to your friends while you’re at work. Just not while driving or rollerblading. Trust me.

Thanks for stopping by the blog, Constance! Make sure to check out her book - Airborne!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Greetings and salutations! First of all, I want to thank Michelle for having me on the blog today. Thanks so much, Michelle!

So today, Michelle asked me to do a top ten list. Since Touch of Frost, my first YA book recently came out, I thought that I’d do a list about why I decided to write a YA book, especially one that focuses on mythology. So here goes:

1) I’m a fan of the genre: I love reading YA books. In fact, some of my favorite reads in recent years have been YA books, including Beastly by Alex Flinn; Graceling by Kristin Cashore; The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins; and The False Princess by Eilis O’Neal, among many others.

2) A fun challenge: You always want to push yourself and grow as a writer, and I thought writing a YA book would be a fun challenge for me as an author. So far, I’m having a blast writing the Mythos Academy series, and I hope folks enjoy reading the books as much as I do writing them.

3) I’ve always loved mythology: I’ve always loved mythology and all the stories of the gods, goddesses, monsters, heroes, and more battling each other and going on these epic quests. So writing a YA book focusing on mythology seemed like a natural fit for me.

4) Monsters, monsters, monsters: One of the cool things about mythology is all the various monsters that are found in the myths and stories. I had a lot of fun putting my own twist on some of the monsters, like my Nemean prowlers, which are big, black, panther-like creatures – with big claws, bigger teeth, and burning red eyes.

5) Strong heroines: I like reading and writing about strong heroines, and there are so many great heroines in the YA genre, including Katniss from The Hunger Games. I thought writing a YA book would let me come up with a really strong heroine, someone who is smart, sassy, and sarcastic and still trying to figure out what her place is in the world. Hopefully, folks will enjoy reading about my heroine, Gwen Frost.

6) Cute guys: It seems like there are just as many gorgeous guys in YA books as there are strong heroines, and I had a lot of fun coming up with Logan Quinn, the Spartan warrior who’s as cute as he is deadly. Logan and Gwen don’t really get along at first, but it seems like they just keep running into each other …

7) World building: One of the things that I like best about writing fantasy books is that you get to create your own world. I had a blast dreaming up Mythos Academy with its beautiful campus, the Library of Antiquities, and all the creepy statues that always seem to be watching Gwen.

8) Fight scenes: I love writing fight scenes, and writing a YA book about a school where the kids are training to be warriors definitely let me put a lot of action in the story.

9) Growing up: One of the reasons I think YA books are so popular is that we can all relate to growing up and trying to find our place in the world and figure out what kind of person we want to be. So I wanted to write my own sort of coming-of-age story.

10) Reader interest: It seems like YA is the one genre that everyone gets excited about these days, from teens and their parents to booksellers and librarians to all the other readers out there. I think any book that gets folks interested in reading is awesome, but it seems like YA is what everyone wants to read these days – yours truly included.

So there you have it. Some reasons why I decided to write a YA book.

What about you guys? What are some of your favorite YA books and characters?

Jennifer Estep writes the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series for Kensington. The books focus on Gwen Frost, a 17-year-old Gypsy girl who has the gift of psychometry, or the ability to know an object’s history just by touching it. After a serious freak-out with her magic, Gwen is shipped off to Mythos Academy, a school for the descendants of ancient warriors like Spartans, Valkyries, Amazons, and more.

Touch of Frost, the first book in the series, was published on July 26. First Frost, a prequel e-story to the series, is available now as a 99-cent download. Kiss of Frost, the second book, will hit shelves on Nov. 29. Visit www.jenniferestep.com for excerpts and more information.